Son told cops 'I hate French champagne' after killing dad with Bollinger bottle
A drunken man who clobbered his own dad to death with a bottle of Bollinger while naked has been jailed for at least 18 years.
Deekan Vig, 54, carried out a "savage and merciless" attack on Arjan Singh Vig, 86, before telling police: "I hate French champagne."
He had been on a whisky binge on October 30, 2021 before the killing at his parents' home in Southgate, north London.
Officers found Vig lying on the floor unclothed amongst 100 bottles of champagne alongside the body of his father, the Old Bailey heard.
He told them: "You're too late. He's been dead for an hour."
Man in 30s dies after being stabbed in park sparking police probeOn the way to the police station, he then admitted: "I killed my dad.
"I hit him over the head with a f***ing bloody bottle of Bollinger champagne."
Arjan Vig suffered brain damage as well as extensive fractures to his face and skull.
Vig was convicted of murder by a jury last month, having admitted to manslaughter.
The court was told the defendant suffered from high levels of anxiety and displayed symptoms of autism.
During the trial, the defendant claimed his father had attacked him after finding his secret alcohol stash and he defended himself with the bottle.
His sister Rippan Vig said the family still supported her brother and pleaded for a lighter sentence.
She said their mum Damanjit Veer, 85, regretted not getting Vig the help he needed due to it being taboo in their culture.
She added that Vig is "severely traumatised" by what happened and "no one is sorrier for what happened".
Sentencing Vig to life imprisonment, Judge Angela Rafferty said: "I'm sure that at the time you hit your father you intended to kill him. This was in a moment of rage probably because he found you in a drunken state.
Russian model killed after calling Putin a 'psychopath' was strangled by her ex"Those injuries show a ferocity. It was savage and it was merciless. Your father would have been very frightened and it is him the court must consider first and foremost."
In an open letter to the court, Vig said he had been mourning his father's death for 14 months and believes due to "anxiety and fear" he "misread the situation".
"I'm very, very sorry," he added.
On the day of the killing, Vig's parents attended an event at the local Sikh temple but returned an hour later than planned, which upset their son who went to his room.
At around 9pm, he started causing a loud banging noise and his mum heard him vomiting.
Damanjit told the court Vig complained about being too hot and his dad went to comfort him.
She was surprised when her son admitted to drinking half a bottle of whisky because "he never drinks".
"He was out of control, he was drunk," she said.
Damanjit called her daughter, who phoned the police.
Prosecutor Deanna Heer described how PC Francis tried to open Vig's bedroom door but found it wedged shut.
He could see blood on the wall and radioed for assistance and an ambulance unit.
The officer was eventually able to push the door enough to see Arjan's head "covered in blood and brain matter".
Vig eventually responded and was "abusive and swearing", the jury was told.
The defendant was struck round the face and Tasered before being handcuffed and clothed.
"He continued to be abusive, telling the police repeatedly to 'f*** off', calling them 'pigs' and telling them they did not know how to do their jobs," said Ms Heer.
She went on to describe how police found around 100 bottles of champagne on the bed with clothing piled on top.
Around 10 Amazon delivery boxes containing three of four bottles of whisky were also found, as well as an empty bottle of Talisker whisky.
Two of the bottles of champagne had a "significant amount of blood on them", she added.
Vig said his deeply religious dad had waved a bottle of champagne in his face and they began to wrestle.
"I managed to get a good grip on the bottle and wrench it out of his hand," he explained.
Vig said he was "embarrassed" at the situation, in part because he was naked, and explained his dad never usually came into his room.
He said once he'd "disarmed" Arjan they continued to wrestle and he pushed the older man "forcefully" towards the door.
"I was completely exhausted and I basically collapsed by the side of my bed and sat down," he continued.
Vig said his dad then grabbed his shins and thrust his own legs into his chest, leaving him unable to breathe.
"I was struggling to grab a bottle from behind me. I flung it really forcefully as hard as I could, I just wanted to stop him from pummelling my chest," he continued.
"I threw it overarm with my right arm as hard as I could.
"I did it with several bottles. He continued to come towards me and I threw another one.
"After several throws it just went all quiet and on the last throw I saw this huge amount of blood just splatter everywhere, like an explosion.
"His head was on the back wall and blood came out, it was just horrific and he suddenly went silent, dead quiet."